Using the paper is considered gospel by many people in business. Use it wisely and it can be a good tool.
Remember, newspapers are passive, non intrusive media. They tend to reach only buyers who are looking for the product. They are poor at reaching prospects before the need arises.
Think about it, there are few times you have been driven to go to a store to buy a product you never heard of because you saw an ad in the paper. You had to have an earlier impression about the product for the newspaper ad to point you to the location to buy it.
There are 4 ways to use the newspaper for advertising.
1) Display advertising
from one column wide by 2 inches high to a full two pages, display ads can be so numerous the news stories have to be cut so both can live on the page.
There is usually no protection. Competiting store ads can be next to each other (next time you see the paper look for tire store ads on the same page).
When designing your ad, remember it's all about them. Use a catchy headline and tell them what you will do for the. Forget about your picture or your "Number One in the District Award". Good advertising "feels their pain".
2) Classified advertising
The effectiveness of classified ads varies by paper and by who wrote the ad and by what the ad is selling. Many classified sections have turned into giant car dealer pages and huge homes for sale sections complete with four color pictures.
The small, private, "gotta sell my Bow-Flex" ads can be lost in a giant classified section. Many shoppers and Nickle Savers have smaller, and cheaper, classified sections.
Remember, newspapers are passive, non intrusive media. They tend to reach only buyers who are looking for the product. They are poor at reaching prospects before the need arises.
Think about it, there are few times you have been driven to go to a store to buy a product you never heard of because you saw an ad in the paper. You had to have an earlier impression about the product for the newspaper ad to point you to the location to buy it.
There are 4 ways to use the newspaper for advertising.
1) Display advertising
from one column wide by 2 inches high to a full two pages, display ads can be so numerous the news stories have to be cut so both can live on the page.
There is usually no protection. Competiting store ads can be next to each other (next time you see the paper look for tire store ads on the same page).
When designing your ad, remember it's all about them. Use a catchy headline and tell them what you will do for the. Forget about your picture or your "Number One in the District Award". Good advertising "feels their pain".
2) Classified advertising
The effectiveness of classified ads varies by paper and by who wrote the ad and by what the ad is selling. Many classified sections have turned into giant car dealer pages and huge homes for sale sections complete with four color pictures.
The small, private, "gotta sell my Bow-Flex" ads can be lost in a giant classified section. Many shoppers and Nickle Savers have smaller, and cheaper, classified sections.
Another article from BIG Mike - Small Business Advertising and Marketing Expert
The SKINNY on Newspapers
Media Words
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You can't call the plays if you don't know the lingo. Get hundreds of terms used by radio. newspaper, tv & advertising people. It's a whole new language and only $4.97
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Stop Gimmies and Freebees forever!!!
It is really hard to say "NO" to the son or daughter of a good customer pitching a yearbook ad or asking for sponsorship of a little league team. Saying "NO" may tick off a good customer, and you csan't get buy buying the cheapest offered. There is a way to save thousands. Get all the amo you need to shut em down with this BIG Mike Special Report - How to Say NO to Little Jimmie!
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It is really hard to say "NO" to the son or daughter of a good customer pitching a yearbook ad or asking for sponsorship of a little league team. Saying "NO" may tick off a good customer, and you csan't get buy buying the cheapest offered. There is a way to save thousands. Get all the amo you need to shut em down with this BIG Mike Special Report - How to Say NO to Little Jimmie!
Click Here for Details
Business Card Book
BIG Mike's definative book about business cards is available for instant download
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Copyright 2007 Big Ideas Group - all rights reserved
Big Ideas Group - Post Office Box 598 - Dugger Indiana 47848
Big Ideas Group - Post Office Box 598 - Dugger Indiana 47848
Big Mike McDaniel is a 40+ year veteran of the advertising business. He is available to help your business with an on-going relationship, or with one time projects or problem solving.
Call for a free 20-minute consultation. 800-852-8628
Call for a free 20-minute consultation. 800-852-8628
Some small business operators find success with a series of small classified ads. Small blurps tend to build "top of mind awareness". A cheap way to keep your name out there.
3) Tabs and special sections
Tabs, the cash cow for newspapers, are manufactured events designed to sell ads. Progress
Editon. Easter Shopping Special. Dollar Days. You name it, there is a tab every idea.
Typically a tab is the regular paper page turned sideways (landscape) and folded in half.
Tabs get ad-on advertising dollars from existing clients and offer one time only exposure to those who don't normally use the paper (i.e. the giant corporate ads in every Progress Edition). Most papers have so many tabs, they print an advertising calendar.
Understand them for what they are, vehicles to get extra bucks from you. If you want to be in one, rearrange your budget, don't ad to it.
4) Inserts and stuffers
Some Sunday papers weight 4 to 5 pounds each, mostly for the weight of stuffers and inserts. Usually reserved for national advertisers and big box stores. They print them and deliver them to the paper and pay a per piece fee to have them stuffed and delivered. For smaller businesses they become cost prohibitive. Better to stick with display ads.
Sunday papers have the biggest circulation, and ad rates are more expensive. Regional and national papers can be expensive, too. Local papers and shoppers are less expensive, but nonetheless can be a major part of a small business ad budget.
Newspaper advertising is sold by the column inch. Different categories of ads and section placement determine the rate and rates vary throughout the paper. Rates also vary with advertisers, depending on how many column inches they have agreed to buy in a one year period. The more the cheaper.
Plan your advertising well in advance and stick to your budget. Sell to needs, not ego and newspaper can be your buddy.
3) Tabs and special sections
Tabs, the cash cow for newspapers, are manufactured events designed to sell ads. Progress
Editon. Easter Shopping Special. Dollar Days. You name it, there is a tab every idea.
Typically a tab is the regular paper page turned sideways (landscape) and folded in half.
Tabs get ad-on advertising dollars from existing clients and offer one time only exposure to those who don't normally use the paper (i.e. the giant corporate ads in every Progress Edition). Most papers have so many tabs, they print an advertising calendar.
Understand them for what they are, vehicles to get extra bucks from you. If you want to be in one, rearrange your budget, don't ad to it.
4) Inserts and stuffers
Some Sunday papers weight 4 to 5 pounds each, mostly for the weight of stuffers and inserts. Usually reserved for national advertisers and big box stores. They print them and deliver them to the paper and pay a per piece fee to have them stuffed and delivered. For smaller businesses they become cost prohibitive. Better to stick with display ads.
Sunday papers have the biggest circulation, and ad rates are more expensive. Regional and national papers can be expensive, too. Local papers and shoppers are less expensive, but nonetheless can be a major part of a small business ad budget.
Newspaper advertising is sold by the column inch. Different categories of ads and section placement determine the rate and rates vary throughout the paper. Rates also vary with advertisers, depending on how many column inches they have agreed to buy in a one year period. The more the cheaper.
Plan your advertising well in advance and stick to your budget. Sell to needs, not ego and newspaper can be your buddy.
Newspaper Book
If you have to deal with the media, you’ll
Want your very own copy of “Newspaper Terms”. A complete collection of all the words and phrases used by newspaper and magazine folks.
Get your downloadable copy for only $2.97
Click Here for Details
If you have to deal with the media, you’ll
Want your very own copy of “Newspaper Terms”. A complete collection of all the words and phrases used by newspaper and magazine folks.
Get your downloadable copy for only $2.97
Click Here for Details